Scientists recently found that some small drugs can stop infection by the deadly Ebola virus in
its tracks. Lab researchers found that these drugs bind to a protein that the Ebola virus uses to enter
our cells, and this is how infection is prevented. However, this also means that the bound protein no
longer functions in our cells. How might these drugs accidentally disrupt important biological processes
in our bodies? What other proteins might these drugs bind to? In this science project,…
Read more

Can computer games be used to educate? Pick a game that incorporates educational material. There are a variety of educational computer games on the market in the areas of math, history, science, and language, as well as many simpler versions free on the Internet. Make up a test based on the subject area covered by the computer game. Have your volunteers take the test before and after playing the game. Does playing the computer game improve people's score on the test?
Read more

How a biological system functions is a consequence of the 3-D structures of biological macromolecules like proteins and protein complexes. Proteins can be categorized into different protein families based upon sequence, structure, and function. Typically, proteins in the same family have similar biochemical functions. You can investigate the structure of a protein by using protein databases (Entrez Protein, SwissProt, PDB) and 3-D computational models. You can compare the structures of…
Read more

BioChem_p021

+ More Details

- Less Details

Time Required

Very Long (1+ months)

Prerequisites

Advanced biology course, or willingness to read up on such topics extensively.

Have you ever played a video game and gotten so involved that you felt as if you were living inside
the game? What were the characteristics of the game that made you feel part of the action? One
component of an absorbing video game is an onscreen world that makes sense—a world that
takes physics into account. A game in which the player feels the effect of trudging through mud,
slipping on ice, or catapulting a bird is more fun than one with no environmental interaction.
In this…
Read more

Games_p031

+ More Details

- Less Details

Time Required

Very Long (1+ months)

Prerequisites

You should be comfortable programming in C++ language, familiar with the GameMaker software package,
and able to program in GameMaker Language (GML). You should completely review and understand all the
GameMaker tutorials and examples listed in the Science Buddies
[# ProjectGuide Name="Advanced.GameMakerUserGuide" Value="HtmlAnchor" #]
and in the Tutorials section of
[# Link Name="Games_p031.1" Value="HtmlAnchor" #].

Do you enjoy playing video games? Do you like the challenge of reaching a difficult game level and
scoring lots of points? Video games include many graphic elements that are great to watch, but did
you know that not only sighted people enjoy video games? Blind and visually impaired players can also play video games by relying on sound cues — the pings, pops, bangs, and bursts of music that make a game fun or exciting. When building a game that will be accessible to differently abled…
Read more

Some proteins are soluble in aqueous solutions and some are not. Insoluble proteins can be a problem because the proteins can form large aggregates in solution which are difficult to purify, crystallize, and use in experiments. Compare the amino acid sequence and 3-D structures of some soluble and insoluble proteins (Berman, 2000). Is the structure polar or non-polar, and how might this affect solubility? How do detergents make an insoluble protein more soluble? Investigate how this…
Read more

Whipped egg whites are used in many sweet and savory recipes. They are used to add air into cake batters, meringues, and soufflés. Egg whites, also known as albumin are 15 percent protein dissolved into water. When egg whites are beaten or whipped, the protein chains unravel. This is called denaturation. The process of whipping egg whites adds air to the mixture, in addition to denaturing the proteins. The denatured proteins create bonds with each other and trap air bubbles within…
Read more

Is soil structure an important factor in earthquake dynamics? Investigate soil liquefaction and how different soil types respond to earthquake movements. Are movements more dramatic in sandy/loamy or clay type soils? Which soil structures are most stable? Which are the most volatile? (MCEER, 2005)
Read more

Math can make you money! If you understand some basic math, you can make good decisions about how to keep, spend, and use your hard earned dollars. Try an experiment comparing the same balance in different types of bank accounts. How much better is a savings account than a checking account? What difference does the interest rate make? Which is better, an account that earns compound or simple interest? Can you compare the short and long term costs of borrowing money compared to saving the cash…
Read more

How can you motivate students and teachers to make positive changes in their school? Why not try using what is in everyone's pocket—a smartphone! With this project you'll try your hand at harnessing the power of crowdsourcing and mobile technology by creating an app that motivates users to change their school for the better. Do not worry about the app creation, the MIT App Inventor tool makes that part easy; the instructions provided here will lead you through it step-by-step. Will…
Read more

CompSci_p052

+ More Details

- Less Details

Time Required

Long (2-4 weeks)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

This Computer Science Project requires the use of a computer with Internet access. An Android device is helpful but not required.

You can find this page online at: http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/search.shtml?v=solt&pi=BioMed_p008

You may print and distribute up to 200 copies of this document annually, at no charge, for personal and classroom educational use. When printing this document, you may NOT modify it in any way. For any other use, please contact Science Buddies.